Budleigh Salterton is a sleepy coastal town (pop circa 5,500) located 15 miles east of Exeter. The shoreline is very distinctive, having sandy-red cliffs, a long promenade and a pebbly beach. Budleigh Salterton has a charmingly old world and unspoilt feel to it, the High Street comprising a number of small and interesting shops. At the other end of Budleigh Salterton lies the river Otter, which gently meanders through the Devon countryside.

Budleigh Salterton, known locally as Salterton (formerly Salterne), derives its name from the manufacture of salt which was once a precious commodity, when it was the main food preservative. Large salt pans were situated at the lower section of the river Otter, the monks at the Otterton Priory holding the rights to this important enterprise.
The pebble spit, now blocking what was once an open estuary, was a result of the great storm of 1824. The long pebbly beach forms a natural promenade, and makes for a most relaxing walk across the sea front, and indeed Budleigh is a strollers paradise. You will enjoy unspoilt views of the sea and river, birds, fishing boats and the peace and tranquility that Budleigh affords its visitors.
If you are considering a visit to Devon and wish to stay by the seaside, all I can say is that Budleigh Salterton will provide you with an unforgettable holiday, where you can unwind in the most peaceful surroundings. ps don't forget to visit Fairlynch Museum (see below).

The main door is studded with nails and is made from a thick piece of oak. Not long ago, a most interesting discovery was made in the dining room, when the removal of the fireplace revealed the original one in the rear. There is a large slab of Beer stone over the fireplace with several initials and dates carved on it. The earliest decipherable ones date from 1699 and 1732.
As to Raleigh, much of his early life will remain a mystery. He was born in about 1552, but we cannot be sure of the date. His father seemed to be an important man in the county of Devon. That Hayes Barton was the place of birth, is proved by one of his own letters dated July 26th 1584, addressed to Mr Duke, the lord of the manor and the owner of the Hayes Estate, in which Raleigh expressed the desire to purchase the property "for the naturall dispositio" "I have to that place being borne in the howse I had rather seat my sealf ther then any wher els". The letter is believed to be in the possession of the Royal Albert Museum in Exeter.

Please note that Hayes Barton is not open to the public, although you can see the property from the roadside.

Although a tiny private Museum was started in Budleigh Salterton in the 30's, its premises, the Old Coastguard Look-out was requisitioned at the outbreak of war and never re-opened. In 1966, when an attractive Regency House, Fairlynch, became available, the formation of a Museum was proposed, this was an extension to The Annual Costume Exhibition shown by Miss Joy Gawne in her own home. With the formation of a Committee, an appeal was launched and the house eventually purchased by Miss Gawne, her two sisters and Mrs Priscilla Hull, current Chairperson of the Management Committee. An Educational Charity was formulated and a lease granted to the four Trustees. Monies raised by the public appeal, together with various Grants, were devoted to repairing and converting the House for public use and within a very short time, part of the building was opened as a Museum in July 1967, with Lord Clinton performing the ceremony.

Over the years, extensive remedial work has been carried out including complete re-wiring, wood beetle and dry rot treatment, complete renewal of the upper floors, removal of disused chimneys and roof re-thatching. However, in 1977, it was found that part of the back buildings and outer premises had severely deteriorated and a further appeal was launched to enable demolition and rebuilding of the affected areas. This also enabled the creation of a caretaker's apartment, steward's cloakroom, and fulfilment of an interesting detached building with its own costume store. A unique reference library was also formed. At this stage, the four owners made a gift of the freehold to the trustees. The History of Fairlynch has been thoroughly researched and a booklet on sale in the museum makes fascinating reading.

One story is that the house was bought by a Naval officer with monies gained from the Napoleonic wars and was involved in local smuggling - not proven. A major criticism when the opening of the museum was planned was "What on earth is there to put in a Museum in Budleigh?". The simple answer is a rewarding insight into the history of this attractive little resort. This year in Fairlynch Museum, you can see a fascinating glimpse into the social history of the district. In Otterton, in the1850's there lived on the Green in a two up, two down thatched cottage, the family Pile. Alas, the actual cottage was pulled down in the 1930's. The father was the village cobbler. They had one son and 5 daughters. The father died and then his widow and son did the cobbling. The daughters, like many others in the village at that time, made Honiton lace. They were also excellent dressmakers and made all their own clothes and also for other people. They were excellent embroidresses and did a lot of patchwork. Obviously, as dressmakers they had a lot of material to use up by doing patchwork. They had a niece who often stayed with them. She married a Dane, called Mr Petersen, who had come over from Denmark to do a course on jewellery in Exeter. He eventually became a jeweller in Budleigh Salterton. His wife died and she had kept many of the belongings of her old aunts and every year she opened the boxes and aired all the things. When Fairlynch museum was opened in 1967, Mr Petersen contacted the trustees and told them about his wife's belongings and asked whether the museum would be happy to possess them. Well, of course, the answer was a definite "yes". You can imagine the joy of opening the boxes and finding the wonderful dresses, lace, patchworks, pieces of material, and even the fascinating curtains they had made for a four poster bed ! Every 10 years the museum sets up a special display of the Pile belongings and clothes made by the sisters. As this is the 30th year of the opening of Fairlynch, these belongings are due to go on display. There are many other very interesting exhibits. Why not come and see them.